“Well—this wine is pretty good, right? Hehe, Mei Zi, don’t underestimate this Three Immortals Inn. Though the storefront is small, the wine here is genuinely authentic. It’s not easy at all for ordinary folks to get a seat here.” Huang Zhong emptied his cup in one gulp, squinted his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them and grinned.
“You said it! Look, I’ve been around this area for years, yet I’ve never heard of this place. If it weren’t for you, Brother Huang, to show me the way, I probably would have walked right past without ever stepping inside,” Mei Qing replied, refilling Huang Zhong’s cup.
Actually, today was Mei Qing’s first day officially starting work at the Experience Bureau. Huang Zhong insisted on treating him to a small welcoming gathering, and Mei Qing, wanting to maintain a good relationship with Huang, agreed not to inform anyone else. At noon, Mei Qing sent a servant boy home to deliver a message before leaving with the fat Huang.
Though named grandly as “Three Immortals Inn,” the place was actually an extremely small tavern. Its tattered sign hung so worn that one couldn’t even tell its original color anymore, deeply hidden in a corner. If not for Huang’s guidance, Mei Qing really wouldn’t have known such a place existed.
“Hehe, you wouldn’t know this. Though it doesn’t look like much, the interior decor here might rival even the famous Spring Embroidery House. Particularly the decorations in the private rooms—they’re all crafted by the renowned Tian Feng Studio from the Eastern District. Only those involved in certain affairs come here. Brother, you’re a scholar, unlike me, who’s been out on the streets since childhood, so naturally you wouldn’t pay attention to such places,” Huang Zhong said, grabbing a chicken foot with his hands, not even using chopsticks, and began gnawing on it.
“Come on, Brother Huang, what kind of scholar am I? I didn’t pass any imperial examinations like others do. Don’t tease me like that,” Mei Qing laughed. “Actually, I’m just someone who messes around outside too, though our circles are a bit different.”
“That’s true, hehe. I only heard about your famous nickname ‘Mei Three-Eyes’ yesterday. You’re quite well-known here in the capital city. From now on, if I want to find some antiques, I’ll have to rely on you, Brother. Since you’re so learned, and antiques are things for educated people, you can’t go wrong, right? In our Jinyi Guard, aside from those old scholars who never show their faces, probably only you have such great knowledge.”
Mei Qing couldn’t help but laugh watching Huang eat so messily. After all, Huang was supposed to be a well-bred young master, yet his table manners were no better than a bandit’s. Suddenly, Mei Qing had a thought—recalling how indifferent everyone had been to him at the Experience Bureau, except for Huang, who was relaxed and talkative. It seemed Huang must have his own unique way of getting along with people.
The Experience Bureau within the Jinyi Guard wasn’t particularly prominent, but commoners could never hope to enter. Everyone here, though seemingly ordinary, had their own backing. With so many arrogant people around, it wasn’t easy for them to get along. Huang, however, always presented himself as a harmless, honest fellow, so no one felt threatened by him, allowing him to thrive like a fish in water.
Actually, Huang’s upbringing should have been impeccable, yet he deliberately showed such a casual side to Mei Qing, probably intending to build rapport. If that were the case, then Huang’s scheming mind wasn’t simple at all. Not to mention, right after meeting yesterday, Huang had already made efforts to learn about Mei Qing’s background in the antique trade. Although such information wasn’t particularly difficult to obtain, the fact that he bothered showed unusual thoughtfulness.
If Huang were a typical spoiled nobleman, he wouldn’t care who Mei Qing was. Therefore, Huang’s apparent clumsiness and carelessness were clearly just a façade. Thinking this, Mei Qing couldn’t help but raise his estimation of the fat man a few notches.
Cunning or naivety didn’t really concern Mei Qing. After all, he had no intention of climbing the ranks within the Jinyi Guard. For now, since the situation remained unclear, he would simply follow orders and remain observant.
After a few more cups of wine and some casual talk about antiques, Mei Qing casually asked, “I heard from our Autumn Master that he also came from a military background. How did he end up becoming a Deputy Director in the Jinyi Guard?”
Huang tossed the greasy chicken bone onto the plate, grinning, “What’s so strange about that? In our Jinyi Guard, nine out of ten people were originally soldiers. Even me, Brother, spent a little time in the Five Armies Command. Autumn Master has been with Director Lu for many years, practically a confidant. You see Autumn Master seems carefree on the surface, but he’s actually quite sharp inside.”
As he spoke, a glint of sharpness flashed in Huang’s narrow eyes, contradicting his otherwise simple appearance. He chuckled, “Our Experience Bureau only has about ten people. Even the lowest-ranked among us is a Deputy Commander like us two, and none of them lack backing. Without some wits, you really couldn’t handle this job. However—” he lowered his voice and leaned forward, “I heard you’re someone specially assigned by Sixth Master. With such a powerful patron, what do you have to worry about?”
Mei Qing recalled that when he first arrived at the Experience Bureau, Autumn Ming had also mentioned he was assigned by Sixth Master. He couldn’t help but remember the cold, stern face of that old man in the Jinyi Guard. It seemed this Sixth Master was indeed a formidable figure. He just couldn’t figure out why that mysterious person suddenly saved him and placed him here.
The fact that he was assigned by Sixth Master should have been known by very few. Yet Huang had figured it out so quickly, revealing his own considerable capability. Mei Qing calculated silently but kept a neutral expression as he said, “Ah, I’ve always been a bit lazy and indifferent. I don’t really understand much about anything. I’m just here to pass the time, not thinking too much about it.”
Seeing Mei Qing’s guarded words, Huang’s eyes briefly showed disappointment before he quickly lowered his head, wiping his hands carelessly with a wet cloth and raising his cup with a grin, “Hehe, let’s drink to that!”
Mei Qing then asked about the internal structure of the Jinyi Guard, and Huang surprisingly held nothing back, explaining everything clearly. It turned out the Jinyi Guard had two main divisions: the Southern and Northern Security Bureaus. The Southern Bureau was responsible for etiquette and royal guards, appearing prestigious but holding little real power. The Northern Bureau, however, was the real powerhouse, handling arrests and criminal cases, wielding immense authority.
“Our Director Lu is someone whose word is law before the Emperor, and we all benefit from his favor. A few years back, they say our Jinyi Guard was under the thumb of the Eastern Depot, but now—haha…” Huang chuckled as he spoke, his fat jiggling with laughter.
Director Lu, named Lu Bing, had served as the head of the Jinyi Guard for many years, enjoying the Emperor’s full trust, thus making the Jinyi Guard highly favored. Besides the Director, the Jinyi Guard also had two Deputy Directors, two Assistant Directors, and two Security Directors. The Experience Bureau was a separate department. Autumn Ming, its head, held the title of Assistant Director but rarely involved himself with the actual military units.
“Don’t underestimate Autumn Master just because his rank isn’t high. In this capital city full of high-ranking officials, he might not seem important, but anyone who knows the inside story won’t dare provoke him,” Huang, now tipsy, started talking more freely. “Last autumn, Autumn Master had an old friend visiting the capital on official business. Somehow, the friend got into a fight with the second son of Minister Liu from the Ministry of Justice at a tavern. After a few drinks, Autumn Master and a few of his men simply threw the kid off the balcony. Later, when Minister Liu found out, he didn’t dare say a word. He even locked his son at home for a long time, and only recently did we see the kid out again, avoiding us from afar whenever he sees us—hehe…”
“Oh? So Autumn Master is that formidable?” Mei Qing was somewhat surprised. An Assistant Director was only a fourth-rank official, seemingly without much real power. Yet it was hard to imagine how a high-ranking minister could be so intimidated.
Hearing Mei Qing’s question, Huang became even more smug, his chubby face shining with oiliness, “You see, Mei Zi, what does Autumn Master do? If he wanted, he could even find out which concubine Minister Liu slept with last night and what position they used. Hehe, just think about it—what official doesn’t have some secrets? A few years back, there was even a Vice Minister of the Supreme Court who had a conflict with Autumn Master and swore revenge…”
Huang picked up a piece of fish and threw it into his mouth, chewing as he continued, “But Autumn Master didn’t say much. He just sent a sealed envelope to the Vice Minister’s house. Well, before the next day even came, that guy showed up at Autumn Master’s doorstep with gifts, bowing and begging for mercy until the matter was dropped. After that incident, no one dared to mess with us again.”
Mei Qing laughed, “That Vice Minister of the Supreme Court was a prominent figure. If this scandal had come out, the Censorate wouldn’t have let him off easily either.”
“Exactly,” Huang nodded, shaking his head slightly while whispering, “That’s why in recent years, many have envied Autumn Master’s position. But since Director Lu favors him so much, no one can replace him. So, Mei Zi, after hearing all this from your older brother, do you have any thoughts now?”
Looking at Huang’s fat face leaning closer, with sharp glints flickering in his small eyes, Mei Qing grinned, “Indeed, Brother Huang is right. Power is truly tempting. In the past, when I played with antiques, I could only admire many items from afar, unable to compete. Now with this position, if I ever see something I can’t get, I’ll just send a sealed envelope and scare them out of their wits!”
Huang nodded at first, listening intently to Mei Qing’s words. But when he heard Mei Qing’s bold ambitions at the end, his small eyes widened in shock, almost choking on the fish. Seeing the slightly teasing look in Mei Qing’s eyes, he realized Mei Qing was joking and suddenly burst into laughter.
“Haha… Got it, Mei Zi, I understand you now. From now on, you and I are brothers. Just don’t forget your older brother Huang when something good comes up,” Huang said, his face relaxing as he patted Mei Qing’s shoulder.
“Of course! Whenever I see something valuable, I’ll tell you, Brother Huang, to go snatch it for me, and then we’ll split it fifty-fifty,” Mei Qing said naturally.
Huang laughed, “You really are a playboy. But speaking of it, this is exactly what all the young masters in the capital are into these days. I’m good at cockfighting and dog racing, but I’m not much into antiques. Now that I have you as my brother, I can collect some old stuff to display at home. At least it’ll look impressive and stop my neighbor Old Zhang from calling me illiterate.”
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